Teacher Experiences Space Academy

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Teacher Experie...

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Teacher Experie...

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New St. Joseph’s Academy faculty member Anne Heroman Jeanmard was among the educators selected to participate in this summer’s Honeywell Educators Space Academy program. More than 200 teachers from 33 countries spent June 14-20 at the U.S. Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, learning new techniques to engage students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The program included 45 hours of classroom and laboratory instruction focused on science, space exploration and leadership skills development. Teachers participated in astronaut-style exercises, including high-performance jet simulation, scenario-based space missions, coding challenges, land and water survival training and interactive flight dynamics programs.

“This was the best professional development experience I have ever had,” said Jeanmard, a 1990 graduate of SJA. “We had five full days of activities, including being the mission control director of the Mars Mission simulator and the scientist on the International Space Station & Space Shuttle simulator. We experienced the multi-axis trainer that simulates the freefall back to the earth’s atmosphere, zip lining that simulates parachuting from a crash landing, building a rocket with a programmed sensor to collect data and many STEM activities. We also met and heard from Homer Hickman, author of Rocket Boys - October Skies, astronaut Clayton Anderson and Apollo astronaut handler Ed Buckbee.”

Teachers are chosen for Space Academy participation following a rigorous and competitive application process. They are awarded scholarships, round-trip airfare, tuition, meals and accommodations.

“It is hard to say what the best part of the experience was; however, I will say that the people I met were the most valuable resource I have from the experience,” Jeanmard said. “I now have a group of professional contacts, resources and support available to me. Of course, this is not just in the U.S. but around the world. We are all fired up about what we learned. We continue to excite each other and assist each other with ideas and support.”

Among the ideas Jeanmard plans to bring to her classroom this year is “Tomatosphere.” She received tomato seeds that were sent to the International Space Station, and her geometry students will investigate the effects of gravity on the angles at which branches grow. “I also hope to collaborate with other math and science classes to send a high-altitude balloon to the outer atmosphere to collect data and pictures of the curvature of the earth,” she said.